G—lo.

The outlook and prospects for the coming season are promising, and a general increase in the output of butterfat is expected. Returns should be augmented by the sale of sixty-five steers, thirtyfive to forty bales of wool, about 1,250 fat lambs, and probably fat sheep and hay. The land is being developed for dairying, and before the area grassed can be regarded as fully developed it will be necessary to build nineteen houses, eighteen cow-sheds, twenty-three manure and implement sheds. Subdivisional fencing is required on fourteen sections, and a general water-supply is a matter for consideration. There are approximately 400 acres to be regrassed after being cropped for turnips, and live-stock for eighteen sections, averaging twenty-five cows a section, will ultimately be required. Provision is being made for shelter-belts. At present the outlook of the people can be described as generally enthusiastic towards development. On account of the measure of success achieved (the human material being as a nucleus an untried and, according to current opinion, an indifferent community) what might be termed a bold experiment has become a persistent challenge to the Maniapoto Tribe as a whole. Te Kuiti Base Farm, Formerly held by the Waikato-Maniapoto Board as mortgagee in possession, this property, comprising 617 acres, situated four miles from Te Kuiti Township, was taken over in 1932 for use as a base farm. Up to this time the Waikato Board had advanced £9,723 on the property, and it was arranged that after a payment to the Board of £1,723 from development funds the balance of £8,000 was to remain in the Board's books free of interest. The Supervisor reports that the farm is at present slightly understocked, although the carryingcapacity for the year was increased by 400 ewes and 100 head of cattle. He expects that the farm will ultimately carry three ewes to the acre, together with fifty cows. Parts of the farm have been badly infested with blackberry and gorse, necessitating continual cutting and grubbing ; goats have proved effective in the eradication of these noxious weeds. Ragwort is not in evidence, as the country has been continually grazed by sheep. The pastures show a general improvement as a result of top-dressing, and this is reflected in the carrying-capacity. It is expected that 100 per cent, of the wether lambs will be sent to the works as fat. During the year development-work was largely confined to bringing back into pastures the areas which had reverted to weeds and second growth. Approximately 300 acres of fern were crushed and are now coming into good pasture, 80 acres of gorse and blackberry were grubbed, 160 acres of logs and stumps were cleared and burned, 25 acres were ploughed for turnips and 3,000 lb. of grass-seed were sown broadcast on burnt patches, bare spurs, and on areas which were going back. In addition, 58 chains of new fences were erected and 120 chains repaired, These works provided employment for eight Maori unemployed relief workers supporting twenty-five dependants, and it is reported that excellent work was performed by these men during the year. The Supervisor considers that the prospects for the coming season are definitely good. A larger wool clip is anticipated and sales of wether lambs and cull sheep should exceed last year's totals. The property is now practically fully developed for the purpose for which it is being used. The live-stock returns are as follows : 1,343 sheep, 77 yearling cattle, and 5 horses: In addition, the farm has been used as a base for distributing stock to schemes, and considerable numbers have been grazed for varying periods throughout the year. WAIARIKI MAORI LAND DISTRICT. Brent's Farm. This property, situated three and a, half miles from Rotorua on the Rotorua-Whakatane Road, comprises 335 acres —Rotomahana mud country —and is used as a base farm for the grazing of stock and for holding new stock for the Rotorua Central Area. It is an ideal place for the purpose for which it was obtained, and the pastures are in first-class order. During the year a sheep dip and yards were erected, thereby greatly improving working-conditions in the locality. The value of the farm from this point of view will be further enhanced when the proposed wool-shed is erected. Thirty tons of hay were cropped during the year, and 127 acres of turnips were sown for winter feed. The farm is divided into seventeen paddocks and 344 chains of subdivisional and 236 chains of boundary fencing have been erected. As the farm is practically all in grass, only the usual maintenance work is necessary. Very little trouble is experienced with noxious weeds, owing to the heavy grazing during the year. Horohoro. As previously reported, this the pioneer scheme of the pumice belt, was commenced on the 7th February, 1930, by two parties, one of Wairoa Maoris and the other of eight men from the Ngati-Tuara and Ngati-Kearoa subtribes to Te Arawa who owned the block. The keenness and industry these people displayed in appreciation of the Government's assistance to enable them to farm their lands and thereby to improve their physical, social, and moral conditions is reflected in many ways. It is interesting to record that they conducted on excellent lines and in the true communal spirit an agriculture and pastoral show. All factions combined in creating a spirit of rivalry between the various units in their productive efforts.

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